Palestinians detained for smuggling

Published: Saturday, January 12, 2002

Associated Press

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP)  Palestinian police on Friday detained two senior Palestinian officials suspected of trying to smuggle a boatload of arms into Gaza, Palestinian security sources said. A third was being sought.

Violence flared hours later as Israeli missile boats fired at a Palestinian naval fuel depot and at barracks used by the naval police in Gaza early Saturday, setting both ablaze, Palestinian security sources said. A small patrol boat was also hit.

The barracks had been abandoned and there were no immediate reports of casualties.

Also Saturday, Israeli tanks fired at least four shells, striking homes in the Rafah refugee camp and injuring at least eight people, including two women, Palestinian security sources said.

Israeli forces last week seized the ship, which was carrying 50 tons of arms. The ship's captain said in a jailhouse interview that he loaded the arms in Iran and that the weapons were destined for Gaza.

The seizure of the ship came after four weeks of relative calm and again put Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on the defensive with the United States demanding an explanation about the arms ship.

Israel dismissed the arrests  as it has done with recent Palestinian efforts to enforce a cease-fire  as insufficient.

"The arrest of certain senior members of the Palestinian Authority ... is an attempt by Yasser Arafat to exonerate himself," said Raanan Gissin, spokesman of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.